Machine for packing matches



W. I. ELDER.

MACHINE FOR PACKING IVIATGjHES. APPLICATION FILED OCT- I, I921.

1,430,891 Patented Oct. 3, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. J. ELDER.

MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES. APPLICATION FILED OCT- 11. 1921.

Puma Oct. 3,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

Patented Uct, 3, 1922.

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' WILLIAM J. ELDER, or oswneoitnvr roan, issienori TO THE marrow) MA'IGH COMPANY, or cnicAeo, ILLINOIS, a CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

macnrnn roe PACKING MATCHES;

Application filed October 11, 1921 Serial No. 507,092.

.7 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that l, WiLLIAM J. ELDER, va citizen of the United btates, and resident ofrflswego, in the county of Oswego and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Packing Matches, of which the following is a specification. r I N This invention relates to machines for packing matches in boxes,and hasfor its object to provide simple andel ficient means for positioning the usual protection str p \upon the. heads of the matches within a box tray preparatory to the association of the filled tray with its complementary shuck or cover. p

The present improvement is particularly, though not exclusively, designed for use in connection with a packing machine such as described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,016,.836, dated Februaryfi, 1912, in which machine empty trays are successively advanced by ineansof an endless conveyer to a match supply station or stations; thence to protection-strip applying station; thence to a tray and shuck assembling station. The device embodying my invention isconstructed and arranged to act upon the protection-strip of each succeeding filled tray preparatory to the passage of the tray to the assembling station. Such device not only functions to position the strip upon the heads of the matches, but it also assists in leveling the matches within'the tray, and at the same time serves to push into proper position any matches. projecting at their ends from the tray.

A. preferred forn'i of mechanism illustrating the principle of my invention will be hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention then be defined in the appended claims.

Tn the drawings+- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section,

partly in elevation, of a portion offthe trayconveyor and adjuncts of a match-packing machine embodying my invention, onlyso muchof the machine being shown as is necessary to illustrate the improvement. In this iew ,the strip-positioning devices are shown as in act-ion upon the protection strip of the underlying filled tray.

2. is a partial plan of the bar connection, and adjuncts, for actuating the strippositioning devices.

.ldlig. 3 is an elevation ofthe strip-positioning devices as in'raised position, oreparatory to their descent upon a protection-strip.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the said devices in down position and the protectionstripes shifted thereby.

F'g. ;5 "s a perspective view of the devices in-the relative positions shown in Fig. 4:.

F 6 is a perspective view of the pad carrying plateand its vibratory supporting bar.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a part of the bed or table upon which the trayconveyer 11. is supported and guided, which conveyer, in the form illustrated, comprises an endless chain of links provided with holders 12 for the box trays 13. The links are provided on their undersides. with gear teeth le with which mesh the teeth of the which is vertically-reciprocated in any suitable :manner. In the present instance this head comprises. a block conveniently con nected by means of a bar 17 with a vertically reciprocating ,plunger l8 carrying a presser head 19 which bears upon thematches or upon the protection strip of a'filled tray which has been advanced beneath the presser head. The end of the bar is preferably adjust-ably connected to horizontal'extensions 2001 the plunger by-means ofscrewsQl passing through elongated holes 22 in the bar. The plunger, which is slidably mounted in a vertical guide-post 23 rising from the table, is raised and lowered at predetermined intervals in order that. as each succeeding two generally 2 diverging guide-plates 24 whichare preferably of spring sheet metal,

and are so spaced and disposed that in the descent of the head they yieldingly embrace the sides of the adjacent tray and thus back into the tray any matches thatmay project at their ends beyond the sides of the tray.

On the outer; side of theplate remote from the heads of the matches contained in the tray is a bracket 25 having inwardly extending end lugs 26 in andbetween which is pivoted a horizontal rocker bar 27. Secured to this bar is a plate 28 having on one face a series of spaced yielding pads 29, prefer ably of rubber. The plate 28, with its pads, is held normally in a canted position and against astop 30 on the adjacent guide plate 24, by the actionagainst the plate 28 of the free lower end of a spring 31 depending from the head 16. The stop 30 is preferably constituted by one of-the members of an angle strip secured to the inner side of the said guide plate. The upper end of the spring extends freely through a vertical orifice i the head 16, and is secured to a bracket 32 on the head by means ,of a suitably-disposed set screw 33, whereby the spring can be nicely adjusted vertically in order that it may exert more or less pressure on the pad-bearing plate 28, as desired. The padsfare so shaped and disposed that when the head 16 is lowered as above'described they bear upon the underlying protectionstrip and thus, swinging transversely of the strip and in opposition to the pressure of the spring 31, they push the strip towardone side of the tray and over the heads of the matches contained in the tray. (See Figs. 1, 4 and 5.) The downward pressure of the pads also tends to depress the inatches'level with the top of the tray.

When the head 16 and its appurtenances are raised preparatory to the advancement of a succeeding filled tray thereunder, the

pads, being lifted from the laterally shifted normal posi- I protection-strip, assume their tion. (See 3.)

The device above'described is simple in construction and efficient in operation. Its use reduces the liability of rupturing the corners of the trays and covers during the tray and shuck assembling operations, and also insures the production of boxes of matches of uniform shape.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular construction herein disclosed to exemplify my invention, as the mechanism may be variously modified with in the principle of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a machine for packing matches, the combination with means for feeding filled box trays having protection strips imposed on the contained matches, of an element arranged tooverhang the path of the protection strip of each, succeeding tray, and means whereby the said element is actuated to engage the strip and shift it transversely toward one side of the tray and upon the heads of the contained matches.

2. In a machine for packing matches, the combination with means for feeding filled box trays having protection strips imposed on the contained matches, of a vibratory element arranged to overhang the path of the protection strip of each succeeding tray, a vertically-reciprocativesupport for said element, and means whereby in the descent of said support the vibratory element is actuated toengage the strip and shift it transversely toward one side of the tray and upon the heads'of the contained matches.

3. In a machine for packing matches, the

combination with means for feeding filled box trays having protection strips imposed on the contained matches, of a vibratory element, including friction pads, arranged to overhang the path of the protection strip of each succeeding tray, a vertically-reciprocative support for said element, and 'means whereby in the descent of said support the said pads are actuated to bear upon the strip and shift it transversely toward one side of the tray and upon the heads of the contained matches.

4. In a machine for packing matches, the combination-with means for feeding filled box trays having protection strips. imposed on'the contained matches, of a vertically reciprocative head, a pair of diverging plate members depending therefrom and overhangingthe path of the trays, a vibratory element, including friction pads, on one of said members, and a spring maintaining said pads normally in depending position,

whereby when the head is lowered the plate members embrace each succeeding tray and the pads bear upon the opposing protection strip in a manner to shift the said strip transversely toward one side of the tray and upon the heads of the contained matches.

5. In a machine for packing matches, the combination with means for feeding filled box trays having protection strips imposed on the contained matches, of a verticallyreciprocative head, a pair of diverging plate members depending therefrom and overhanging the path of'the trays, a vibratory element, including friction pads, on one of said members, a stop on said member and a spring maintaining said pads normally in depending position and against the stop, whereby when the head is lowered the plate members embrace each succeeding tray and the pads bear upon the opposing protection strip in a manner to shift the said strip WILLIAM J. ELDER.

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